This application relates to a portable support handle for assisting individuals in exiting and entering motor vehicles. The support handle is designed to removably engage a door striker pin of the vehicle when the door is in an open position.
Individuals having mobility impairment, such as the elderly, disabled and expectant mothers, often have difficulty exiting and entering motor vehicles. Many such individuals are not capable of easily moving from a sitting position inside the vehicle to a standing position outside the vehicle, or vice versa, without assistance. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that many vehicles sit low to the ground for improved handling and fuel economy, thereby requiring more physical strength and effort for vehicle occupants to rise to a standing position.
For example, elderly drivers having reduced leg strength and flexibility typically attempt to support themselves when exiting a vehicle by grabbing hold of the open car door and pushing upwardly. Additionally or alternatively such drivers may brace one arm on the car seat cushion or door frame while twisting their torso outwardly. These movements may result in strain and accidental falls. More particularly, the vehicle door provides insufficient support for many users. Since the vehicle door swings on a hinge it is not secure and may be difficult to reach if the door is fully open. Similarly, the seat cushion and door frames of most cars also do not include gripping points which are secure and easily accessible. The possibility of accidental falls and injuries increases in the case of slippery conditions (i.e. due to snow, ice, wet pavement or the like).
The ability to safely exit and enter a vehicle without assistance from another person is often important in maintaining the independence and self-esteem of elderly and disabled drivers. Some vehicle entry and egress systems are known in the prior art to address this problem. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,169, Kopnski, dated 14 Apr. 1992, relates to a handicap assist apparatus for securement to a roof above the passenger compartment of a vehicle. The apparatus includes a flexible tether line for grasping by the handicapped person.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,016, Bergsten, dated 2 Dec. 1986 also exemplifies the prior art. Bergsten discloses a structural aid for facilitating egress from a vehicle which includes sleeve means mounted in the vehicle door frame and a handlebar insertable therein. The sleeve means includes a mounting plate which is secured to the door post flange with fasteners and a sleeve which is welded to the mounting plate.
Such prior art systems require structural modification of the vehicle in question which requires skilled labour, is relatively expensive and may potentially invalidate product warranties and insurance coverage. Furthermore, many known prior art systems are relatively complex and cumbersome and are therefore unsuitable for individuals who are mildly or temporarily disabled or who wish to use the mobility aid on several different vehicles.
The need has therefore arisen for a portable support handle securely connectable to the standard door striker pin of a motor vehicle for assisting users to safely enter and exit the vehicle.
In accordance with the invention, a portable support handle for removably engaging a striker pin mounted on the door frame of a vehicle is provided. The striker pin defines an opening for receiving the door latch of the vehicle when the vehicle door is closed, but ordinarily does not serve a useful purpose when the door is opened. The support handle comprises an elongated shaft having a first end and a second end; a pin engagement portion located at the first end, the pin engagement portion having a longitudinal axis; and a hand grip located at the second end. The support handle is characterized in that the pin engagement portion is moveable between a disengaged position freely moveable relative to the striker pin and an engaged position wherein the pin engagement portion is lockably coupled to the striker pin and the hand grip extends outwardly of the vehicle to provide a temporary support.
Preferably the pin engagement portion is insertable through the striker pin opening and is rotatably adjustable about its longitudinal axis between the engaged and disengaged positions. In one embodiment the pin engagement portion is rotatable approximately 45 degrees between the engaged and disengaged positions. The pin engagement portion may comprise a body having a transverse axis extending between opposed side surfaces of the body, wherein the pin engagement portion is insertable through the opening only when the transverse axis is aligned with the widest portion of the opening. For example, if the striker pin opening is rectangular in shape, the widest portion would consist of the diagonal of the opening and the pin engagement portion would be insertable through the opening when the transverse axis is aligned with the diagonal.
More particularly, the pin engagement portion may comprise a neck portion having a transverse dimension less than the width of the opening and a head portion tapering outwardly from the neck portion in a direction away from the longitudinal axis, the head portion having a transverse dimension which exceeds the width and length of the opening but which is less than the diagonal of the opening. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the said side surfaces of the body are bevelled at least in the head portion of the pin engagement portion to enable passage of the pin engagement portion through the opening.
The support handle may further include a central portion extending between the pin engagement portion and the hand grip which is of a size incapable of passing through the striker pin opening. Preferably the pin engagement portion is inclined relative to the central portion such that said longitudinal axis of said pin engagement portion intersects the longitudinal axis of the central portion at an angle of approximately 15 degrees. The hand grip may also be inclined relative to the central portion and pin engagement portion such that the hand grip has a horizontal or near-horizontal orientation in the engaged position.